GOVERNMENTAL EXPERIENCE
Lafayette Consolidated Government (City & Parish) Lafayette, Louisiana
Assistant to the City-Parish President May 2001  January 2004
Walter Comeaux, City-Parish President
 Served as the registered lobbyist for the City - Parish Government on specific legislative matters such as capital outlay and other specific issues with the Lafayette Legislative Delegation, and the Legislature as a whole. Testified before various committees on legislation in conjunction with the Police Jury Association of Louisiana (PJAL) and Louisiana Municipal Association (LMA), as well as with local legislators on bills specifically introduced on Lafayettes behalf.
 Project management for Lafayette Consolidated Government requiring cross-departmental coordination or required interaction with other independent elected officials, such as the consolidation of property tax collection and matters affecting the Lafayette Parish Courthouse.
 Coordinated development of a $9 million construction and improvement project funded with local bonds, state capital outlay appropriation, and other revenue. This effort required presentating and negotiating with the affected parties, lobbying the legislature, and briefing the City-Parish Council and media.
 Served as liaison between the City-Parish Presidents Office and the International Trade Center concerning delegations from sister-cities or network governments.
 Led trade missions to sister-city governments, such as Cabinda, Angola, Africa; Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; and Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, in representation of the City - Parish President. These trade missions were to encourage the entry of various Acadiana area businesses and products into foreign markets were City-Parish Government had established relationships.
 Participated in the Acadiana Regions efforts to increase the size of the Lafayette Metropolitan Statistical Area; served as the Washington, DC contact for that effort.
 Researched issues and drafted talking points and speeches for the City - Parish President.
 Represented the City - Parish President at various functions, meetings, and on various Boards and Commissions, such as the International Trade Development Group, the Acadiana Regional Development District Board of Directors, and the Lafayette Advisory Commission on Crime Prevention.
o Twice elected Chairperson of the Lafayette Advisory Commission on Crime Prevention and spearheaded an effort to reorganize the commission to make it more effective for the community.
 Coordinated constituent complaints addressed to the City - Parish Presidents Office and worked with the various departments in an attempt to bring about solutions.
 Coordinated a joint tourist promotion effort for the eight parishes of Acadiana at the National Association of Counties Convention held in the New Orleans Superdome.

Lafayette Consolidated Government (City & Parish) Lafayette, Louisiana
Trade Development Specialist June 2000  May 2001
Philippe Gustin, International Trade Manager
 Located international trade leads for local businesses to foster growth.
 Maintained positive working relations with federal, state and local economic and trade development agencies.
 Recruited and coordinated major seminars, trade missions and catalog shows.
 Provided counsel to local businesses on trade programs and market research in an advisory role.
 Maintained an electronic and hard copy international trade library.
 Managed a database of local businesses and linked them to the Internet. Lobbied the University of Louisiana, Lafayette Economic Development Authority, New Orleans Metrovision, Louisiana Department of Economic Development, and the local legislative delegation to create a statewide database to assist local economic development agencies and companies. This effort resulted in the State of Louisiana LACES.

United States Bureau of the Census Dallas, Texas
Partnership Specialist March 1999  June 2000
Michael Hall, Regional Partnership Specialist Supervisor
 Spearheaded a public, media, and government relations campaign for ten (10) parishes in Southwest Louisiana for the Decennial Census 2000, with the goal of increasing voluntary participation and reducing the undercounting of households.
 Built alliances with local governments and developed a nine parish network of grassroot committees designed to voluntarily encourage participation in the 2000 Decennial Census.
 Strategically partnered with local media outlets to create public awareness of the importance of the Census and the potential benefits for local communities.
 Traveled throughout Southwest Louisiana interacting with constituents and local government leaders.

U.S. House of Representatives Lafayette, Louisiana
Staff Assistant May 1987  July 1996
James A. Jimmy Hayes, U.S. Representative, Seventh District, Louisiana
 Liaison between constituents and various federal, state, and local agencies; traveled throughout Southwest Louisiana interacting with constituents and local government leaders.
 Assisted with special project needs of local governments and businesses, coordinating with the Washington, DC legislative and project staff.
 Specialized in issues with the Departments of Commerce, Justice, Defense and State.
 Organized seminars in partnership with various federal agencies. Largest was a national energy related seminar with ITA, DC on the subject of Doing Business with the Soviet Union. Was responsible for hosting the Soviet delegation and organizing a weeklong visit to local energy related companies to show off modern energy technology.